RESUMO
A few seconds flash photopyrolysis is used as efficient screening tool for the investigation of selected biomass in producing syngas, hydrogen and biochar. This innovative approach allowed rapid pyrolysis of the biomass, which was followed by a precise gas analysis and quantification, using Mass Spectrometry (MS). The analysis of the gas composition from three distinct biomass wastes in this study provides new insights into their thermochemical characteristics, expanding thus our knowledge of the potential of the selected biomass resources for the production of carbon, syngas, and/or hydrogen-rich gas production. This enhanced characterization revealed the potential of biomass transformation in contributing to innovative green energy sustainable solutions.
RESUMO
Biomass splitting into gases and solids using flash light irradiation is introduced as an efficient photo-thermal process to photo-pyrolyze dried natural biomass powders to valuable syngas and conductive porous carbon (biochar). The photo-thermal reactions are carried out in a few milliseconds (14.5 ms) by using a high-power Xenon flash lamp. Here, dried banana peel is used as a model system and each kg of dried biomass generates ca. 100 L of hydrogen and 330 g of biochar. Carbon monoxide and some light hydrocarbons are also generated providing a further increase in the high heating value (HHV) with an energy balance output of 4.09 MJ per kg of dried biomass. Therefore, biomass photo-pyrolysis by flash light irradiation is proposed as a new approach not only to convert natural biomass wastes into energy, such as hydrogen, but also for carbon mitigation, which can be stored or used as biochar.
